This invention relates generally to zero force connectors for removably mounting large integrated circuits such as Pin Grid Arrays (PGA) which may have upwards of 200 pins and which are immersed in liquid gases such as Nitrogen or Helium for cooling and/or performance enhancement.
More specifically, this invention provides a means and a method of packaging an electrical network within a cryogenic vessel filled with a liquified gas for cooling purposes. It also provides a means and a method for plugging and unplugging the electrical device with ease at room temperatures, yet provides for a sound, reliable electrical and mechanical connection at cryogenic temperatures. A means is provided to thermally isolate the immersed circuit from the outside temperature by using a vacuum insulation vessel with carbon leads that thermally isolate the interconnections.
A number of prior art patents deal with the problem of cooling semiconductors and with the problem of making electrical connections to integrated circuit packages which packages are cooled either by immersion into the cooling liquid by heat sinks which are in contact with the cooling fluid. The following is a representative listing of such prior art patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,864, entitled "ELECTRON TUNNEL EMISSION DEVICES SYSTEMS" by I. Giaever;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,620, entitled "CIRCUIT PACKAGE WITH IMPROVED MODULAR ASSEMBLY AND COOLING APPARATUS" by J. H. Butler et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,575, entitled "METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COOLING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES" by E. H. Stark;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,665, entitled "LIQUID COOLED CONNECTOR FOR LARGE SCALE INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PACKAGES" by J. M. Cutchaw; and
U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,432, entitled "LIQUID COOLED CONNECTION FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PACKAGES" by J. M Cutchaw.